Shielded applicator



Dec. 19, 1950 B. GRANDJEAN 2,534,439

SHIELDED APPLICATOR Filed Dec. 26, 1944 y Lou 5. GRANDJEAN -66 117%705013 F6572? aft/42m Fae 7. 1s F/zv/ Arromvsrifi Patented Dec. 19, 1950 U N [T ED STAT ES PAT B NT F F l C E.

SHIELDED APP-LIOATOR LoulB. Grandiean, samFrancisco; Calih Application December 26, 1944, Serial No. 569,857

5: Claims: 1

Myinventionrelates toa shieldin :devicefor with applicators'ior applyingliquidate aznarrow strip or--area.-

The 1 advantages and utility of: my invention will be understoodifrom' a description of its-application to+a= device-for applying shoepolish, varnish, or thelike tothe edgesof the soles-of shoes; and therefore embodiments ot'my invention adapted for such use are herein-illustrated and described; it being understood that my invention is-not"limited to such embodiments;

In applying-liquid polish, varnish, and the: like to the edge of a shoe sole;it is 'necessary toprotect the upper of the shoeso that none of the polish or varnish is applied thereto.

It is an object of my invention to== provide a device which"insures. that none "of the liquid :a-pplied'to the: edges" of the-shoe sole-shall contact the upper'ofthe shoe:

It is also desirable inapplying such a liquid to the edge-of a shoe solethat noneof theliquid be' permitted-todrop from" the applicator; It' is a corresponding object ofmy'invention to provide a' shieldin'gdevice which effectively shields that sideof the-applicatorbeneath the sole and catches and retains any-liquid dropping-from the applicator;

It is 'another object of my inventiOn-toprovide a device permitting the very rapid application of hereinafter l =areillustrated in the accompanying drawing; lnwhichv Fig." l is aperspective. view-"of one: embodiment of myzinvention; 1

Fig.1 Zris-xaside: elevationaliiviewrof the same embodiment;

Fig. 3 istawplaniview of th'e open side ofrthe shielding;deviceeasiapplied toan fappl-icator;

Fiz 4?isxalfragmentaryi end-=:elevational-;.view

2 illustrating the use-of my invention in applying a liquid to the edge of a shoe sole;

Fig; 5 is a sideelevational. view of an alternative embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 6 is: aiplan view of the embodiment illustrated in .Fig; 5;

Fig; 7 is a sectional-view taken as indicated by the line 'i'--'! of Fig.5;

Fig. 8 is a side 'elevational view of another alternative embodiment of: my invention;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of theyembodiment illustrated in Fig.8; and.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken as indicated-by the-l ne l 0-Ill of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawing; which is for illustrativepurposes only; the numeral 2'! indicates one formof the shielding device of my-invention app-liedito av conventional toothbrush 22. The toothbrush 22 is provided Witha handle 23'and applurality of bristles forming a brush 24'on one endthereof. The shielding device 21 includes a back wall 25 and side Walls 25 and 2'? integral therewith-and at right angles thereto. The side walls 26 and 2'1; which are congruent in outline, have rounded ends and a length substantially equal to that of the back Wall 25 and awidth slightly greaterthan the depth of thebrush 24 and the thickness of the handle 23.

Projecting from the side walls 26- and 21 are ears-.28 rotatablymounted upon a pin 29 which extendsthrough the handle 23. A retaining member or lever 30 has an end portion 3ll-bent upon. and'secured by solder or the like to-the back wa1l25. The retaining lever 30 includes an angled portion32,.bestshown in Fig. 2, substantially parallel to the. side wall 2'! and a rearwardly extendingportion 33 having its axis diverging from the axis of the handle 23 when the shield member 2| is in the-positionillustratedinFig. 2-,with itsrbackvwall 25'contactingthe handle 23 of the toothbrush 22. The retaining lever '30 is formed of resilient material, such" as wire, so that it may be deformed from the position illustrated in the full lines of Fig, 2 with its axis'diverging rearwardly from the axis of the-handle-23 to the position illustrated in the dotted lines of the same figure in which itsaxisconverges rearwardly with the axis of -the handle 23 and'the rearzvgard end of the portion 33 contacts the handle When it .is desired to insert-the brush 24:;into a'bottle orotherreceptacle of liquid to be applied to the..-edge.'of'ashoe'sole, for example; the retaining lever is swung away from the handle 23 ofithe toothbrush-.22 tog the .POSitiOIlJ-jllUStlflted in Fig. 1 so that the axis of the retaining lever 30 and the planes of the back wall 25 and side walls 26 and 21 of the shielding device 2| are substantially at right angles to the plane of the handle 23. With the shielding device in such position, the brush 24 may be readily wetted with the liquid to be applied contained in such a receptacle. When the brush 24 is withdrawn from the receptacle, the retaining lever 30 is swung about the pin 29 to the position illustrated in the full lines of Fig. 2. Pressure by the thumb of the hand gripping 23 deforms the resilient retaining lever 30 into contact with the handle 23, as illustrated by the dotted lines of Fig. 2, insuring that the shielding device 2i is in shielding position relative to the brush 24. The brush 24 may now be applied to the edge of a shoe sole 34, as illustrated in Fig. 4, with the side wall 2'! engaging the upper surface of the shoe sole 34 and the other side wall 26 projecting beneath the lower surface of the shoe sole 3G. It will be apparent that the contact of the side Wall 2! with the upper surface of the shoe sole 34 prevents the application of any liquid by the brush to the shoe upper 35 and serves as a guide for the movement of the brush 2 3, permitting the liquid on the brush to be rapidly applied to the edge of the shoe sole 3 1. It will be seen also that the projection of the side wall 26 beyond the brush 24.

throughout its length causes the side wall 26 to catch any liquid dropped from the brush 2 and prevent the falling of such liquid upon the floor or fioor covering,

In Figs. to 7, inclusive, is illustrated an embodiment of the shielding device of my invention capable of being readily applied to a toothbrush of conventional form without the passage of a pin, such as the pin 29 previously described, through the handle thereof. The shielding device of this embodiment of my invention is indicated by the numeral 36 and is applied to a toothbrush 3? having a handle 38 and a plurality of bristles forming a brush 39. The shielding device includes a back wall ill and side walls M and 42 of shape and dimensions like the walls 25,

2S, and 21 previously described. In this embodiment of my invention, however, ears 43 are inclined beyond the back wall ii] and connected by a pin 44 upon which arms 46 and 4'! are mounted. Each of the arms 45 and 4'! is provided with a rearwardly extending portion 48, an outwardly flared portion 49, and an inwardly directed portion 56. The arms 46 and 4'! are constructed of deformable material, such as light sheet metal, so that the user may readily deform the outwardly flared portion 49 to form the inwardly directed portions 5% around the handle 30 of the toothbrush 37, thus securing the shielding device 36 to the toothbrush.

Secured to the side wall G2 is a retaining lever 5| having a grip portion 52. The retaining member 5!, like the retaining member 33, is preferably made of resilient material, such as Wire, so that the grip portion may be readily pressed by the user into contact with the handle 38, insuring the retention of the shielding device 36 in position shielding the brush 39 and with its back wall 4!! in contact with the handle 38.

By forming the arms 46 and i! of a deformable material, such as thin sheet metal, this embodiment of the shielding device of my invention may be quickly and easily applied to an old toothbrush after utility for brushing the teeth has been exhausted.

In Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, I have illustrated another embodiment of the shielding device of my invention which is also adapted for being secured to a toothbrush by the user. In these figures the shielding device is indicated by the numeral 54 and includes a back plate 55 and side walls 56 and 51. The side wall 56 is of substantially the form and dimensions of the side walls 26 and 2! and the side walls t! and 52 previously described. However, the side wall 57 in this embodiment of my invention is of a length substantially equal to the length of the side Wall 56 but of a width less than the width of the side wall 56 and less than the length of the bristles forming the brush 58 secured to one end of a handle 59 of a toothbrush 6!].

A retaining lever 61 is secured to the side wall 5'! and includes a gripping portion 62. The retainingmember Si 'is preferably formed of resilient material, so that it may be deformed by the user until its rearward end contacts the handle 59 to insure the retention of the shielding device 54 in shielding position.

Extending upwardly and rearwardly from the side walls 56 and 5'! are cars 63 in which a pin 64 is mounted above the handle 59 of the toothbrush 60. Also mounted upon the pin-64 are parallel arms 65 and 66 which extend on either side of the handle 59. The arm 66 is provided with an opening for the reception of a screw 68, and the arm 65 is provided with a threaded opening into which the screw 68 may be threaded to compress the handle 59 between the arms 65 and 66 and thus secure the shieldin device 5 1 in place upon the handle.

In the use of this embodiment of the invention, the side wall 56 is in engagement with the upper surface of the shoe sole indicated by the numeral 61 during the application of liquid by the brush 68 to the edge thereof, and the side wall 51 of lesser width engages the edge of the shoe sole 6'! during such application. This embodiment of my invention permits the application of liquid by the brush 58 to a shoe sole 5'! of greater thickness than the distance between the side Walls 56 and 51 with the same rapidity and insurance against dropping of the liquid upon the floor or floor covering and the application of the liquid to the shoe upper as those embodiments of my invention previously described.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7 and the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10, the shielding device may be very readily moved about the pins 44 and 64, respectively, into position with the walls of the shielding device at substantially right angles to the axis of the toothbrush handle, so that the brush may be readily inserted in a bottle or other receptacle containing the liquid to be applied. In both such embodiments also the portions 52 and 62, respectively, of the retaining levers are in position to be readily grasped by the thumb of the hand holding the toothbrush handle during the use of the toothbrush.

The shielding device in all of its embodiments may be formed of thin metal, a plastic, or other suitable material. It will be evident that either of the side walls of any of the embodiments of the shielding device of my invention may be so formed as to engage an edge, projection, or groove in the wall to which liquid is to be ap plied by the brush to serve as a guide for the travel of the brush. While the embodiments of my invention herein specifically illustrated and described are fully capable of performing the objects and providing the advantages primarily stated, and While the utility of the shielding device of my invention has been illustrated herein by its application to a toothbrush of conventional form, it is to be understood that my invention is not restricted to such embodiments or application.

I claim as my invention:

1. An applicator, including: a handle; means having an applyin surface on said handle; a shield member including a back wall and a side wall, said member being mounted on said handle and swingable relative thereto from shielding position adjacent said means with said side wall projecting beyond said applying surface and said back wall engaging one side of said handle to position separated from said means, whereby said surface may be coated with the material to be applied; and a member connected to said shield member and adapted to be deformed into engagement with the other side of said handle when said shield member is in shielding position;

2. An applicator, including: a handle having an applying means on one side thereof; a shield member adapted for engagin the other side of said handle and projecting beyond said means connecting means secured to said shield member and adapted for deformation around said handle for securing said shield member to said handle; and hinge means associated with said connecting means, whereby said shield member may be swung from shielding position engaging said other side of said handle to a position separated from said applying means. a

3. An applicator, including: a handle having an applying means at one side thereof; a shield member adapted for engaging the other side of said handle and projecting beyond said means; connecting means secured to said shield member and adapted for clamping around said handle for securing said shield member to said handle; and hinge means associated with said connecting means and disposed at said other side of said handle, whereby said shield member may be swung from shielding position engaging said other side of said handle to a position separated from said applying means.

4. An applicator, including: a handle having an applying means at one side thereof; a shield member adapted for engaging the other side of said handle and projecting beyond said means; connecting means secured to said shield member and adapted to be deformed around said handle for releasably securing said shield member to said handle; and hinge means associated with said connectin means and disposed at said other side of said handle, whereby said shield member may be swung from shielding position engaging said other side of said handle to a position separated from said applying means.

5. An applicator, including: a handle having an applying means at one side thereof; a U-shaped shield member having a back wall adapted for engaging the other side of said handle and side walls projecting beyond said means, said side walls having inclined ears projecting therefrom and terminating at said other side of said handle; connecting means secured to said handle and provided with projecting arms disposed at said other side of said handle; and hinge means between said arms and said ears adapting said shield member to be swung from shielding position engaging said other side of said handle to a position separated from said applying means.

" LOU B. GRANDJEAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file pf this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

